Apple's Jony Ive to design a one-off new Leica M for charity

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Sir Jonathan Ive, Apple's senior vice-president of industrial design, will be remodelling the new Leica M rangefinder camera to be auctioned off for charity.

Already a real beauty (in Pocket-lint's eyes, at least), the new Leica M features a 24-megapixel full frame CMOS sensor and 1080p video capture for the first time in an M series. It was launched at the Photokina camera trade show in Germany, and although Ive himself was not in attendance, it was revealed that he will indeed be turning his design eye on to a unique model.

As Pocket-lint was told by Leica, the project will benefit Reporters Without Borders, an organisation created to help photo journalists and reporters in parts of the world affected by war and crisis. And the auction is being organised by a rather famous musician and friend of Apple.

"Leica Camera AG is currently in discussions with Sir Jonathan Ive, senior vice-president of Industrial Design at Apple, about designing a single example of the new Leica M," the company said.

"This unique piece, as a result of the intended co-operation, is to be auctioned off at a charity auction in summer 2013, to benefit the organisation Reporters Without Borders.

"The auction will be organised by Bono, vocalist of the rock band U2, and the proceeds will go to those whose work Leica particularly wants to support: reporters in parts of the world afflicted by war and crisis."

A worthy cause indeed. The Sir Jony version should fetch a fair penny too, considering a conventional version of the new Leica M will set you back £5,100 for the body alone.